The present invention relates to support structures for portable or permanent displays and the like, such as those used in trade shows. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an apparatus and method used to connect adjacent structural members of a display in a longitudinal direction.
A typical display structural member is often in the form of a pulltruded aluminum beam having a generally rectangular cross section. The beam internally forms a generally rectangular hollow channel that is surrounded on two opposite sides by open channels. The open channels may extend along the entire length of the structural member and serve as anchoring features for adjustably connectable clamps and other locking devices, such as those used to mount display panels, shelves, lighting, tables, and other exhibit booth elements to the support structure.
In the past, structural members for displays were connectable lengthwise to one another by use of removable clamps engaged within the internal hollow channel of the support members. A clamp would be sized to fit within the hollow channel of the structural member such that one end of the clamp is disposed inside the member and arranged to engage the walls of the channel, while the other side of the clamp extends beyond the end of the member such that an adjacent member can be disposed thereon. To clamp the member, the clamp includes two hinged jaws on either end that can be pushed apart by a threaded fastener disposed therebetween. The fastener may be threaded into one of the jaws and operate to push the second jaw away from the first jaw, thus clamping the beam.
In known arrangements, the jaws of such clamps are inserted into opposed structural members during connection of the members to each other. The screws on either end may be tightened via corresponding holes formed in the support members to provide access to the fasteners. As the fasteners are tightened, the jaws on either side of the clamp are forced apart and against the walls of the internal channel of the two structural members such that the two members are engaged to the clamp.
Although such known clamps are effective in joining structural members lengthwise, the clamps can easily become worn. They also cannot provide a solid engagement between the structural members. Such known clamps are also not well suited for providing proper axial or planar alignment between adjacent structural members. Finally, they tend to be somewhat difficult to assembly and disassemble.